I Hate Endings
by Optimistic Lyricist
Summary: As we all know, The Eleventh Doctor hates endings so when he dies, his past ten incarnations must persuade him to accept death before passing on.


**With the upcoming end to Matt Smith's end as The Doctor, I wanted to make a story to give a kind of tribute to his work. He's my favorite Doctor (well, at least he's tied with Christoper Eccleston's Ninth Doctor) and it's really sad seeing him go. I decided to make this one shot story, which I was inspired to do so by the wonderful Four Doctors bit in the Eighth Doctor audio drama Zagreus, where he's on his way to the afterlife and before he finally "dies" he's confronted by his past incarnations. As we all know, Eleven doesn't like goodbyes so his past ten incarnations have to help him learn how to accept death before passing on. I hope you all like it and would agree that this is a tribute Matt Smith would be proud of, even though he'll never read it. Anyways, let's get this started...as always, enjoy :)**

**Geronimo.**

* * *

In a brightly lit white room, The Eleventh Doctor laid on the ground groaning in agony, slowly coming to. "Oh...am I dead?"

"Not quite."

"Oh don't sweeten the boy's hopes. YES, you are dead!"

"What he's...well you're...trying to explain is that...yes, you are dead, just not quite yet. Not all the way."

Eleven opened his eyes to see all of his past incarnations surrounding him around the room, with The First Doctor standing over him with a smile, putting his hand out to him. "Need a hand?"

Eleven took his hand in confusion. Though The First Doctor struggled to pull him up a bit given his own fragile body, he actually managed it. Once on his feet, Eleven looked around the room with confusion riddled in his face. "Where am I? Oh..." Eleven said to himself when he came to a sudden realization. "Is this...is this the end? My end?" He asked confused and disappointed.

"We're afraid so." The Seventh Doctor said as he stepped up. "That was your curtain call and there won't be an encore anytime soon."

"No...no this can't be it." Eleven denied, heartbroken. "This isn't my-"

"Time?" The Eighth Doctor finished his statement. "Got too much left in you?"

"And so much more to do?" The Tenth Doctor added. "Believe you me, we've all been there when it was our time to go."

The First Doctor cleared his throat. "Not all of us. May I remind you that when I got here, I was alone in just empty space before I realized on my own what had happened?"

"Yes, but you were clever enough to figure out where you were quickly, I'm sure. You are me after all." Ten complimented with a grin.

"So this is it? The afterlife? An eternity to spend with all of...me?" Eleven asked.

That's when The Sixth Doctor stepped up and groaned. "Dear boy, don't you ever listen? You really are the hard headed one! Didn't you hear us when we said 'not quite' meaning this is not the afterlife?!"

"Yes, but I don't quite understand." Eleven admitted.

"Bloody hell! It gets more and more irritating to explain each time! You! Take it over from here! I can't work with this boy!" Six said in frustration as he pointed at The Fifth Doctor.

"Oi, must you call me boy? I am older than you afterall." Eleven pointed out to Six.

"Don't mind him. Not one of my favorites either. You get used to him after some eons, but he still manages to get ruder by the minute." Five said as Six rolled his eyes. Five continued from there. "Yes, well, it's a tad complicated but not quite as complicated as one would think. You're dead, but we're like your...spirit guides. We guide you into the afterlife once you're finally ready to go. We prep you to get you ready to go behind the curtain. Follow? We've done this all the time."

Eleven nodded in understanding. "Ok so if this isn't the afterlife, what is?"

"It's beautiful. You'll love it when you see it. Would you like a jelly baby?" The Fourth Doctor asked as he handed a bag of jelly babies to Eleven.

Eleven smiled and took a couple. "Don't mind if I do." He popped them in his mouth and his face lit up at their taste. "It's been so long since I've had these. So you all just watch my adventures while you're in here...or over there?"

Four nodded as he popped a couple in his own mouth. "Yes, every single one. We were there watching since you noticed your legs for the first time." Four smiled at him. "Looking at your work, we couldn't wait to meet you."

"Yes, I myself have been looking forward to meeting you since I noticed your tremendous fashion sense." The Second Doctor said as he shook Eleven's hand.

"Likewise. Forgot how snazzy I looked back in the day." Eleven said as he adjusted his bowties, almost simultaneously as Two adjusted his.

"Snazzy?" The Ninth Doctor scoffed with his arms crossed. "More like tacky."

10 smirked as he approached 9. "As if you're one to talk. Did you ever take off that bloody leather jacket?"

"Oh and you're _not_ one to talk? THAT suit with THOSE trainers?" 9 responded with a chuckle. "Besides, at least I'm able to blend into the 21st Century with this, unlike you lot."

"My word...you say that as if the 21st century was the most fun you had. I can think of billions of places more interesting than the 21st Century, or Earth for that matter." The Third Doctor asked with a slight grimace.

Nine laughed a bit at that. "Easy for you to say. I met the love of my life on Earth in the 21st Century."

"Yeah, thanks again for that mate." Ten winked at Nine.

Nine groaned and rolled his eyes. "Cheeky git." He mumbled under his breathe.

The First Doctor cleared his throat. "Gentlemen, don't you all think it's time to get going?"

"I suppose so, and we were all getting off so well. Come on everyone." The Third Doctor said with a slight sigh and a hint of sarcasm.

"Go? Go where?" Eleven asked in confusion.

"The afterlife. Where else?" Four responded.

"But what's in the afterlife? Is it just like this? Empty space with a few blokes? More blackness? Color? Other spirits?" Eleven asked in frantic confusion.

"Easy now. Not so many questions at once. They will all be answered, regardless." Eighth Doctor said with a slight chuckle.

Eleven sighed. "Are we all going to be there together."

"Sorta. We'll all be doing our own thing, but we pop into each others worlds from time to time to say hey or to watch the new guy's adventures together." Nine explained.

"Worlds?" Eleven asked.

"Well, everyone has a different concept of the afterlife much like everyone has a different grasp of reality." Four started to explain. "We're all in the same world, but we have all own different sections designed to our liking, right through that door." He said, pointing to a black door.

"What'll be in my section?" Eleven asked.

"Anything you'd like. Probably what a lot of us choose...Gallifrey." Ten mentioned, to which Eleven gasped and smiled.

"Are there any other spirits?" Eleven asked.

The First Doctor nodded, heading towards the black door. "Oh yes. Many. Countless. All spirits can pop in and out of each others sections to visit. A lot of our friends and companions from our past are there. Susan's there, you know?" He said as he walked through the door.

"Jamie and Zoe are there, plus, I've got a brand new recorder." The Second Doctor smiled as he pulled out his recorder from his coat pocket. "Maybe you'll get a brand new bow tie." He told Eleven before playing his recorder on his way through the door.

"Not to mention, Bessy is there. Still in perfect shape. I'll let you ride her if you ever fancy a visit." The Third Doctor smiled, patting Eleven on the back before heading through the door himself."

"Sarah Jane is there. Romana is there. A few K-9's. Barrels and barrels of jelly babies. Oh...the afterlife is wonderful." The Fourth Doctor spouted with a wide smile as he sprinted through the door in excitement."

"Adris is there. Plus, there's cricket. Lots and lots of cricket." Five smiled as he walked through the door.

Six rolled his eyes. "I don't know about you, but he's the only one who seems to enjoy that dreadful sport. Now, hurry along. Peri is over there. Lovely Peri...and please give me a hand with Mel. She won't stop trying to feed me carrot juice." He walked through the door.

The Seventh Doctor chuckled. "Ace is there. She's much older nowadays, but she's still wet behind the ears." He shook his head with a smile, humming to himself as he walked through the door.

"Grace is there." Eighth Doctor pointed out.

Eleven smiled. "Our very first true love." Eight grinned and nodded before walking through the door.

"Rose is there." Nine said with a smile.

"When did Rose die?" Eleven asked in shock.

"Oh don't worry. She hasn't. Not yet anyway. Time is irrelevant here as it was when we were alive. Everyone became a ghost at some point. Now we're all here." Ten explained.

Eleven grinned and nodded. "Ah, that makes sense."

"River's there too, you know?" Ten stated.

Eleven chuckled with wide eyes, thinking of how his former love Rose would respond to his wife River Song. "Oh, now that should be awkward between those two."

All Three Doctors laughed together before Nine smiled and nodded, stuffing his hands in his jacket pocket. "See you two on the other side." He said, going through the door.

Ten started to follow, but then noticed Eleven just standing there, looking down somewhat gloomy. "Aren't you coming?" Ten asked Eleven.

Eleven sighed. "Does it have to end like this? I don't like endings."

"Neither of us do, mate. But when it's time to go, it's time to go." 10 explained. "You had a good run. Not many of us are willing to admit it but we're all proud of you. You did good, and now as a reward for all your hard work...you get to rest."

11 smiled, reminiscing on all the ups and downs of his past adventures. "After what I've dealt with...rest sounds good. So very good."

10 smiled back. "Well, then...Allonsy." He walked through the door, waving 11 on to follow.

11 did just that, taking in a wiff of breathe before stepping through the doors, softly saying to himself...

"Geronimo."

END


End file.
